American Family Insurance has teamed with multicultural agency Elite Media and ESPN Creative Works to create a series of commercials that are airing during the ESPN documentary series, The Captain, which delves into the life of Derek Jeter, the Hall of Fame shortstop for the New York Yankees. Jeter has been a brand ambassador for American Family Insurance since 2016. And now American Family Insurance is an associate sponsor of The Captain.
The American Family commercials depict Jeter traveling back in time to thank many of the important people in his life who helped him achieve his baseball dreams. The campaign is called “Grati2ude” and, as Jeter remarks at the end of each film, “With the right support, any dream is possible.”
Kicking off the series of films is this one titled “Early Years” which acknowledges the early positive influences in Jeter’s life ranging from his parents to a baseball coach to outfielder Dave Winfield, whom Jeter as a kid idolized.
The American Family campaign is custom content that authentically complements the documentary–with footage that feels like a flashback, as Jeter celebrates those who helped him along the way.
The spots were directed by the Jams x Bash duo (consisting of Jamaal Parham and Bashan Aquart) via production company Art Class.
Credits
Client American Family Insurance Agency Elite Media Christopher Crawford, chief creative officer; Jindai Joseph, creative leads; Mo Alsadi, art director; Jackie Crockwell, project coordinator; JD Williams, executive producer; Steve Centrillo, engagement director. Production Company Art Class Jams x Bash (Jamaal Parham and Bashan Aquart), directors; Rebecca Niles, EP/managing director, live action; Sparkle Jones, head of production; Hannah Grigereit, production coordinator; Michael Montenegro, line producer; Corwin Carroll, managing director; Sean Owolo, exec producer; Brian Keegan, head of postproduction; Tyrone Rhabb, sr. editor; Savannah Cannistraro, post producer; Matthew Steidl, on set supervisor; Josh Guillaume, VFX supervisor; Peter Timberlake, lead compositor; Johannes Saam, deepfake VFX. Color Rare Medium Mikey Rossiter, colorist. Audio Julian Bickford, sound engineer; Joel Porras, assistant editor. Additional Production ESPN Creative Works Jamie Overkamp, creative director; Kim Salatino, Ira Fritz, associate creative directors; Kyle Wright, sr. director agency production; Karen Frank, producer; Jeremy Anderson, postproduction content producer; Colin Ryan, sr. manager client activation; Carrie Brzezinski Hsu, VP, ESPN Creative Studio; Anthony Nelson, VP agency production; Jay Marrotte, VP creative development & ad integration
FCB Health New York, an IPG Health company, and SAFE Project have joined forces to create “The Snowball,” a short film that spotlights winter as a common catalyst for dangerous increases in alcohol consumption. In collaboration with creative studio LOBO, “The Snowball” combines a compelling visual metaphor with cutting-edge animation and a haunting soundtrack from Billie Holiday.
As millions embrace “Dry January,” the onset of colder, shorter winter days still leads to an uptick in alcohol misuse, which can lead to liver cirrhosis and other medical maladies and dangerous consequences for one’s life. Speaking to casual drinkers, “The Snowball” visually illustrates how anyone is at risk of becoming addicted to alcohol during this time of year when external climate variables can lead to excess consumption, even if the drinker does not immediately realize it.
Making good on the metaphor, the film follows one man as a quick liquor run gradually devolves into a full-blown addiction as a snowball gradually grows beside him, engulfing his whole life and eventually causing his demise. Set to the tune of Billie Holiday’s “Everything I Have Is Yours,” the film’s pathos is drawn from the sonic integrity of Holiday’s original recording maintained in the sound design as well as the singer’s tragic battle with substance abuse.
This entirely animated film was created using a hands-on, collaborative process rooted in traditional animation techniques, with every aspect of the artwork creation, design, and craftsmanship crafted entirely by human hands. AI-driven tools and processes were brought in during the animation rendering stage, helping the film achieve a distinct visual style that would have been difficult to achieve through... Read More
